Tag Archives: insurance

If you’ve got kids, then one of the biggest things to concern you is their health. Sniffles and colds are par for the course, as are bruises, bumps and scrapes. But sometimes, life takes a much more serious turn… and I don’t just mean a broken arm!

Serious childhood illnesses can include cancers and tumours, organ failure, severe burns, traumatic head injury and blood borne illness. Most of us know someone who’s had to nurse their little ones through leukemia or heart surgeries from quite young.

Many I speak with however, are unaware that Child Trauma cover even exists. When I first heard about the cover, I made sure my children were signed up as soon as eligible. They have to be aged 2 to qualify.

In the event of a claim, the funds can be used to cover medical costs that may otherwise leave you well out of pocket.

A major factor in a child’s ability to pull through a major illness or injury can be the ability to spend time with parents, both preferably, through their convalescence. So the lump sum received isn’t just about costs, it may also allow time off work as unpaid leave to allow you to just ‘be there’ for your little poeople.

But if you’re thinking the cost is prohibitive, think again. Cover is approx. $1 for $10,000 cover, per month. So, $100k is around $10 per month or $120 per annum and can be added to your existing personal insurances like your own Trauma cover (and only outside of superannuation.) And, when the kids turn 18 or 21, cover can be converted to Adult Trauma cover with no underwriting.

If you’d like to investigate this cover further, don’t hesitate to give me a call or chat with your financial adviser.

Did you know that 3 in 5 households in Australia own a pet? 38% of us are dog owners, 29% have a cat, 12% fish, 12% birds and 9% some other animal like reptiles, bunnies (not for Queenslanders!) or guinea pigs.

Mostly, we love our furry friends for the companionship they give us – that undying love and having someone who actually wants to see us waiting at home every night! Others buy to teach the kids responsibility and some to keep them fit and active.

But there’s plenty of good reasons why we don’t own pets as well! Some don’t want the responsibility, others don’t have a home that’s suitable or aren’t allowed by their body corp. But a very large reason comes down to cost!

Have you every had to weigh up the average cost of pet ownership to see if it’s for you, or don’t know where to start?

According to one source, the average cost of owing a dog annually is around $1,475 and a cat around $1,029. Fish would be lucky to set us back $50, depending on how luxurious our tank is, and a bird around $115 per year.

Pet insurance is still in its infancy with only one in four dog owners having cover (costing approx. $293 p/a) and one in five cat owners taking out cover (approx. $246 p/a.)

Pet insurance isn’t always available if your furry friend is getting on in years and some breeds are dearer than others to insure. You’ll also need to check what’s covered as some routine check-ups, desexing and dental may not be insured events.

Having three pets, I’d decided against pet insurance, but when my English Staffy did her patella in last year, needed medication and X-rays and then emergency desexing, the average costs went out the window! Having said that, it certainly paid to shop around with one vet offering a service for $4,000 that another did for $1,200 – and very well thankfully!

The kids were not prepared to let their beloved dog suffer or be put down and were happy to pitch in to cover the costs.

So, if you’re counting the pennies, it’s definitely worth weighing up the costs before taking the plunge into being the resident human for your new fur love. But if you adore your fur babies more than anything, cost is hardly likely to be a factor in your pet ownership adventures.

The term financial adviser or financial planner has been around for a long while.

When I left school though, I’d never heard of a Financial Adviser and certainly didn’t know it was a career path, or that it was the one I would take.

I knew about Life Insurance Agents or Brokers, Accountants, Economists and not much else. So if you’re like I was, and not really sure what a planner did, allow me to enlighten you…

Advisers are Authorised Representatives of an organisation that is licensed by ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.) Some choose to hold their own license, some are through non-aligned companies and others are through big corporates that you may recognise such as AMP, MLC (NAB) or ANZ.

The upshot is, you need to be licensed to give advice and that’s a role we take pretty seriously. People pay us for what we know, meaning we’re in a very trusted position and one that we don’t take for granted.

When you initially meet or research an Adviser, chances are you’ll be provided with their Financial Services Guide and Adviser Profile. This outlines what your Adviser is allowed to provide advice on. Some are very limited and choose to specialise in a particular niche, such as Insurance or Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF.) Others are educated in many areas and are called ‘generalists.’ Additional accreditation may be achieved in areas such as Aged Care and SMSFs.

Most covered areas include investments, finances, budgeting, insurance, superannuation, retirement and pre-retirement planning, estate planning, risk management, business risk mitigation and taxation. Advisers are usually only too happy to let you know the areas that they’re qualified in and can offer advice on.

Chances are, seeing an adviser can add value to your personal financial situation, so why not consider a meeting with a planner real soon! Most offer their initial consultation at their own time and expense, so what have you got to lose?

Many Aussies rely on their default cover in their superannuation to be ‘enough’ when things go wrong… if they give it much thought at all!

What a lot don’t realise though, is that cover can expire when an employer stops paying in to some funds, and that at age 65, cover may also cease altogether (especially if you plan to withdraw the funds at that stage!)

Another issue that many face, is that their cover is ‘unitised.’ This means that they may maintain a certain number of units of cover at a set cost per week, but these units decrease in value over time as you age, although premiums remain constant.

Premiums being deducted from super may be just what you need to have ‘some cover’ that doesn’t interfere with your cash flow too, but over time, the premiums also erode your retirement savings nest egg.

Relying solely on default insurance may leave you with nowhere near enough for your family’s needs, just when they need it most.

When thinking about how much is enough for your needs, many start with clearing debt as their main priority and this is hugely important.

Another vital area to consider is the level of income that the family will miss over the coming years. e.g. Put very simply, if you earn $50k per annum and have 20 years of working life left, there’s $1 million in income the family will never see (without any adjustments for inflation.) Do you need to include this level of cover in your plans for future expenditure on school fees, retirement savings and more? Maybe, or maybe not.

Working out ‘how much is enough?’ is vital, and chances are, you may well find there’s a gap with your default super settings.

Take the time to understand what you have, what you need and chat to a professional. Advice is invaluable in arranging the most appropriate levels of cover for you.

A pre-baby financial checklist can make all the difference to new mums, writes Sally Patten.

For the majority of women, having a baby is one of life’s magical moments. It is also a moment that brings new responsibilities, including those of the financial variety.

Ideally, planning for a baby in financial terms should start a year, or even two years, before birth to ensure there is enough money tucked away to cover maternity leave and that other arrangements, such as life insurance, are in place.

Being prepared will help mothers to revel in their newborns as they should. “If you are stressed about money, the experience is not as enjoyable as it should be,” says Kellie Payne of RI Advice Group Caloundra.

In the early planning stages, it is important to investigate how much money you can expect to receive through work entitlements and the government’s parental-leave pay scheme. Taking into account your expected income, the amount of time you plan to take off, your current expenses and any additional expenses that come with having a baby will enable you to figure out what the shortfall might be and how much you need to save ahead of time.

“Be prepared for additional medical and pharmacy costs for both you and the baby,” warns Payne.

Check your insurance levels

In the case of health insurance, not all contracts cover pregnancy and baby-related services and if you do need to raise your level of cover, a 12-month waiting period will typically apply.

If you want to be covered by private health insurance for pregnancy “you’ll need to be on a health cover that includes pregnancy at least three months before you start trying to fall pregnant”, warns health insurer nib health funds.

Having a child is also an ideal time to look at your life insurance, which may pay a sum of money in the event of death, and income-protection policies, which may pay a regular sum of money in the event of serious illness or injury. Both can be critical when there is a baby or child who will need providing for if something happens to you.

Finding the right life insurance and income-protection policies is no mean feat and advice is recommended.

Strategies for Life Queensland financial adviser Tanaya Bendall says in terms of income-protection policies, would-be mothers should consider whether the policy will pay an agreed amount without having to show proof of income.

Martin notes that many insurance companies won’t insure pregnant women after the last trimester because they are viewed as higher risk.

A convenient way to increase insurance levels may be through superannuation, because this won’t have any impact on your cash-flow levels.

Finally, Martin believes women should not ignore superannuation during this time. She suggests investigating whether they are eligible for various super contribution allowances, such as the government co-contribution and spouse contributions while they’re not working or working part-time.

How a baby changed Emily’s financial outlook

A lot changed for Emily Shields when she had her first child, not least her financial outlook. The embryologist knew she did not want to go back to work full-time.

“I wanted to be able to spend that time with Evie. But it also makes you think about being able to provide for her,” says the 37-year-old. “We were lucky when we were kids that we never had to want for anything, and I want to be able to provide that for Evie.”

Shields was in a fortunate position: her partner Sam could support them. He had just started his own financial-planning company when Evie was born, and Shields was able to take a year’s maternity leave from her position at one of Melbourne’s leading IVF clinics.

She extended this leave by becoming a home-based sales rep for a health and beauty company for six months. Now back at work two-and-a-half days a week, Shields is pleased to have resumed her career, knowing Evie is well looked after.

“All I knew was that I didn’t want her going into childcare,” says Shields. “It’s been easy knowing she’s going to family and Sam’s aunt can work around us with times and dates.”

The immediate financial plan is to continue working part-time while keeping a long-held investment property “ticking over” until they are ready to buy a house.

“We’re quite happy with a public primary school but I’d like Evie to go to a private school for high school if we have the money.”

Case study: Natasha Hughes

This article is part of a series published in the Sydney Morning Heraldand The Age called Her Money, that aims to help women take control of their financial futures. This series has been created in partnership with ANZ.

Travel is a whole lot of fun! And as we know, it can also be a little expensive! Sometimes, travel insurance may seem like that one last item that tips we scales and we say no, it’s too much!

But firstly, what does it even cover?

Typically, you’ll be protected for:-

Loss of luggage and personal items, like cameras and phones

Disruptions to travel plans, like flight cancellations

Theft of your goods, and most importantly…

Medical expenses from injury or illness.

If you’ve never had the privelege of being sick in the USA, I hope you never are. Medical teatment in some countries can cost a fortune if you don’t have travel insurance! According to the National Business Group, you may be out of pocket up to $1,000,000 for a heart attack!

But, it’s also Buyer Beware! Usually, you won’t be covered for extreme sports, pre-existing medical conditions, acts of terrorism and some natural disasters, loss or theft of unattended baggage, travel to areas where there is an official travel warning issued, financial failure of a provider or pregnancy related issues after around 22 weeks. If you’re likely to be affected by any of these, take care!

Top Tips!

Usually, you’ll find out the cost of the cover pretty quickly, but be sure to enquire about the excess applicable to any claims; what’s included and what’s not; dollar limits for your more expensivce items and total values covered; what proof you need at claim time and how to contact you’re provider if you’re overseas.

Be honest when completing the forms. You don’t want your claim denied because you failed to mention a health condition!

Once you’ve purchased cover you’re happy with and stashed the details, pack light and enjoy the flight! And if you’re a frequent traveller, ask about a coporate or annual travel insurance plan

With only around 20% of Australians thinking it’s worthwhile seeking professional financial advice, it begs the question – ‘what’s in it for me?’ ‘Why would I see a financial adviser?’

And I can give you 6 pretty good answers to that question!

Firstly, seeing an adviser can help you set and achieve personal financial goals. Sure, you can do that on your own… but do you? Most of us fare much better when we share our goals and feel accountable to someone for achieving them. But then, some never think to set financial goals or have a clue about achieving them. This is where an adviser can provide much value.

Secondly, we can help you make the most of your money. Chances are, if your like most you live first and save last… if there’s anything left over. Advisers can assist with salary packaging, planning, tax minimisation and ensuring you get paid and get to save.

We also know a bit about Centrelink, and have helped some who didn’t even know that they were entitled to the Pension or an Allowance to be able to claim what they’re entitled to.

One of my favourites tho is assisting you to feel more in control of your financial situation. Knowing that you’ve got a plan, someone to keep you on track and that each year you can see that you’re getting ahead, is priceless!

We all make mistakes, it’s a part of living and learning. But some of them can be extremely expensive. Being able to run business, investment and financial deals past an expert who knows their numbers can potentially save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in expensive mistakes!

And finally, we know all about protection. Having a brilliant financial plan is no good if all that you’ve already worked so hard for isn’t protected. Ensuring that your own life and the wellbeing of your loved ones is taken care of means real peace of mind.